Flush type sprinkler

ABSTRACT

A SPRINKLER IS PROVIDED MOUNTED FLUSH IN A CEILING AND HAS AN OVERLAPPING OUTER ESCUTHCHEON PLATE RELEASABLY HELD IN PLACE BY RESILIENT UPWARDLY EXTENDING MEMBERS CONNECTED TO THE ESCUTHEON PLATE BY HEAT RESPONSIVE ELEMENTS. THE ESCUTCHEON PLATE IS NORMALLY SECURED IN COVERING RELATION TO THE SPRINKLER WHICH HAS A STRUT CONTAINING A HEAT RESPONSIVE ELEMENT WITH A DIFFERENT SELECTED   HEAT RELEASE TEMPERATURE. HEAT SENSING FINS IN CONTACT WITH THE ESCUTCHEON PLATE ARE MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE CEILING LINE TO AN EXPOSED POSITION UPON RELEASE OF THE PLATE AND THEREBY INCREASE THE SENSITIVITY OF THE STRUT HEAT RESPONSIVE ELEMENT.

1973 F. A. GLOECKLER FLUSH TYPE SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7,1971 a 2 l M II":' I' w U Ilfi II III NH P P1,. a 2 F 3 i 0 a 7 x Mn 5Wm 5 x x w I l- FRED A. GLOECKLER A rrmwlf Y 1785- 1973 F. A. GLOECKLERFLUSH TYPE SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June '7, 1971 llluzm i I l l-l ///VE/VT0, FRED A. GLOECKLER By J T M A OKWEX United States PatentOfice 3,714,989. Patented Feb. 6, 1973 US. Cl. 169--19 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A sprinkler is provided mounted flush in a ceiling andhas an overlapping outer escutcheon plate releasably held in place byresilient upwardly extending members connected to the escutcheon plateby heat responsive elements. The escutcheon plate is normally secured incovering relation to the sprinkler which has a strut containing a heatresponsive element with a different selected heat release temperature.Heat sensing fins in contact with the escutcheon plate are movabledownwardly below the ceiling line to an exposed position upon release ofthe plate and thereby increase the sensitivity of the strut heatresponsive element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to sprinklers and more particularly to sprinklers that are flushmounted in a ceiling and discharge when predetermined temperatures areattained.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is acontinuation in part of my prior application Ser. No. 24,596, filed Apr.1, 1970, now Pat. No. 3,633,676.

Description of the prior art Various types of sprinklers flush mountedin a ceiling have been proposed. One such sprinkler is shown in mypending application Ser. No. 24,596 wherein the escutcheon plate is heldby temperature sensitive elements that release it at a predeterminedtemperature. This structure has been found to be highly satisfactory butdoes not provide for differences in ceiling thickness and valve and pipemounting variations. The sprinkler of the invention compensates forvariations in ceiling thickness and has a simplified structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a sprinkleris provided having a sprinkler valve disposed above the level of aceiling, the valve being retained in closed position by a strut andlever, the strut being releasable at a predetermined temperature. Thestrut is provided with heat sensing fins which are normally held in ahorizontal position by an escutcheon plate which covers the valve andits release mechanism. The escutcheon plate is held in place byresilient members that are attached to clips on the escutcheon plate,the clips being held to the plate by an eutetic alloy, and the resilientmembers are attached to a plate on the sprinkler valve. The heat sensingfins help to transmit heat to the heat responsive element for fast strutrelease upon their downward movement. The valve has a one piece crosshead and deflector plate.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a sprinkler flushmounted at the ceiling and concealed by an escutcheon plate, which plateis held in place by resilient members and heat sensitive elements.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sprinkler of thecharacter aforesaid in which the escutcheon plate is firmly held to theceiling.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sprinkler of thecharacter aforesaid. in which the escutcheon plate effectively screensthe sprinkler from view but does not prevent water release when needed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sprinkler of thecharacter aforesaid which has a unitary cross head and deflector plate.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic featuresof the invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings formingpart thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a sprinkler in accordance withthe invention ready for use when required;

FIG. 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevationshowing the release of the escutcheon plate and the release of thesprinkler valve; and

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the escutcheon plate and its mountingas seen from the interior thereof.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, a portion of a ceiling 10 is illustrated, with anopening 11 therein at which the sprinkler G to be described is mounted,and with a lower exposed face 12.

The sprinkler G includes a body 15 in threaded engagement at its upperend 16 in a water supply fitting 17, which is connected to a supply ofwater under pressure.

The body 15 has an internal tapered bore 19 with a seat 20 and rim 21spaced inwardly from the lower end thereof.

The body 15 has a transverse flange 22 with a cylindrical frame 23 inthreaded engagement therewith and held against unloosening by aplurality of pins 24 in engagement therewith.

A cover 25 is provided held in place by a press fit and carried on thethreaded end 16.

The flange 22 has a pair of spaced openings '30 therein for thereception of a pair of guide rods 31 which have stop collars 32 at theirupper ends to limit the downward movement thereof. The rods 31 arecarried at their lower ends in a combined cross head and deflector plate33. A profiled compression cone 34 is provided in engagement with thecross head 33, and includes a lower end '35.

The cone 34 has a spherical upper end 36 which is in bearing engagementwith a valve plug 37 and is of a shape selected to obtain a profile thatwill assist in retaining the valve plug 37 in the body 15.

The valve plug 37 has a lower rim 38 which engages the rim 21 and asealing packing '39 such as an O-ring which engages the seat 20 of thebody 15 and prevents fluid leakage thereby.

The lower end 35 of the compression cone 34 has an actuator lever 42 inengagement therewith.

The lever 42 is supported at one end on a pin 43 carriedin the frame 23and has its opposite end in engagement with a heat releasable strut 45.

The strut 45 has a rod portion 46 with a locating col- 3 lar 47. The endof the rod portion 46 is supported on an inwardly extending rim 48 onthe frame 23.

The strut 45 at the other end thereof has a cup portion 49 within whichan insert 50 is provided of fusible eutectic alloy material, and meltingat a predetermined temperature. In a particular embodiment thistemperature can be 135 degrees F. The insert 50 normally retains a ball51 in its outward position and bearing on the rim 48, but upon meltingpermits the ball 51 to move inwardly in the cup portion 49 from itssupport position to a release position.

The outer surface of the cup portion 49 has secured thereto metallicribbon like heat sensing fins 52, which are normally held insubstantially horizontal position by an escutcheon plate 53 but the freeends of which can swing downwardly when released. The escutcheon plate53 is of dish shape with a flat central portion 54 and an outer rim 55.

The escutcheon plate 53 covers the opening 11 in the ceiling and is heldfirmly against the ceiling 10 by clips 56 which are engaged by springs57 which at their upper ends are engaged with a spring plate 58 whichhas a central opening 59 in engagement with the threaded portion 16 ofthe body 15. The clip 56 can have integral upwardly extending spacerarms 56a.

The clips 56 are secured to the escutcheon plate 53 by a layer ofeutectic alloy 60 which, in the particular embodiment illustrated, meltsat 117 degrees F.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

The sprinkler G as shown in FIG. 1 is ready and in condition foroperation when required.

If the ambient temperature at the escutcheon plate 53 rises to the settemperature, that is to an extent to melt the eutectic alloy 60, heescutcheon plate 53- will be released from the clips 56 and fall. Thefree ends of the heat sensing fins 50 will then fall and becomeeffective for heat transfer to the strut 45.

If and when the temperature effective on the insert 50 reaches the setvalue, i.e., the temperature at which the insert 50 melts, the pressureeffective from above on the strut due to the Water pressure in bore 19on plug 37 and cone 34 and therefrom onto the ball 51, causes the ball51 to move inwardly so that the strut 45 is also urged downwardly byforce imparted thereto through the actuator lever 42 by cone lower end35.

The strut 4 5 and lever 42 drop and the valve plug 37 is moved outwardlyand downwardly by the water pressure thereon. The cross and deflectorplate 33 and guide rods 31 drop to the extent permitted by the stopcollars '32.

Water discharging through the bore 19 strikes the deflector plate 38 bywhich it is diverted outwardly in a well known manner.

It will thus be seen that structure has been provided for carrying outthe objects of the invention.

I claim:

1. A sprinkler for mounting in a ceiling comprising a body with a framenormally disposed above the lower face of the ceiling,

said body having a fluid supply connection and a discharge bore,

a valve plug normally closing said bore,

a cross head member vertically slidably mounted with respect to saidbody and including a deflector plate for diverting water discharged fromsaid discharge bore,

means engaged with said member for retaining said valve plug in closedposition including transversely collapsible first temperature sensitivemeans carried by said frame,

cover means comprising a plate disposed on the lower face of the ceilingin covering relation to said frame, a plurality of mounting clips onsaid plate, and

releasable means for holding said cover plate in position and includingresilient tension members engaged with said clips and with said framenormally urging said cover plate in an upward direction.

2. A sprinkler as defined in claim 1 in which second temperaturesensitive means are provided between said plate and said clips.

3. A sprinkler as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient tensionmembers include a pair of springs resiliently urging said cover meansagainst the coiling face.

4. A sprinkler for mounting in a ceiling comprising a body with a framenormally disposed above the lower face of the ceiling,

said body having a fluid supply connection and a discharge bore,

a valve plug normally closing said bore,

a cross head member vertically slidably mounted with respect to saidbody and including a deflector plate for diverting water discharged fromsaid discharge bore,

means engaged with said member for retaining said valve plug in closedposition including transversely collapsible first temperature sensitivemeans carried by said frame,

said valve plug retaining means including a profiled compression cone,

cover means disposed on the lower face of the ceiling in coveringrelation to said frame, and

releasable means for holding said cover means in position and includingmembers normally urging said cover in an upward direction.

5. A sprinkler for mounting in a ceiling comprising a body with a framenormally disposed above the lower face of the ceiling,

said body having a fluid supply connection and a discharge bore,

a valve plug normally closing said bore,

a cross head member vertically slidably mounted with respect to saidbody and providing a deflector plate for diverting water discharged fromsaid discharge bore,

means engaged with said member for retaining said valve plug in closedposition including transversely collapsible first temperature sensitivemeans carried by said frame,

cover means disposed on the lower face of the ceiling in coveringrelation to said frame, and

releasable means for holding said cover means in position and includingmembers normally urging said cover in an upward direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT S. WARD, In, PrimaryExaminer U.S. c1. XR. 16939, 42

